Sam Texeira, the 2019 Boston Teacher of the Year, is an educator dedicated to activism. At a time of growing economic insecurity and loss of life in the wake of the COVID pandemic, as well as ongoing social unrest driven by generations of systemic racism, Sam remains dedicated to his mission of inspiring and educating students. This episode is the story of how the relationship between Mr. Texeira and Rebecca, one of his former students, amplified the voices of Boston youth amidst a pandemic. 

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Podcasts and other media allow anyone's voice to be heard across the world. Host Matin speaks with Lucy Ivey of Teens Speak Up about her podcast journey and the power of podcasts for activism!

 

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These times that we're in right now are tough. It can be hard to feel motivated when the world around us is completely shutting down. In this Mic Drop Nyawira spoke with mental health activist Macy Lee about how to to maintain mental health and about Macy's global mental health advocacy.

 

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Stay safe out there everyone!

Jean Ferman is a first generation college. He is among the first in his family to attend college. He noticed that first generation college students are struggling with challenges not faced by other students. That prompted him to create an on campus organization called FIRST in hopes of creating community among first-gen students.

 

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There is a lot to be gained by students who combine their technical skills with their passion for serving others. In this mic drop, we speak to Ushab Dahal about his work with Engineers Without Borders, his commitment to creating inclusive spaces, and how he combines the two as an active leader. 

 

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It can be hard to be open with other people about what's going on in our lives. Ryan Jacobs Flores took this to another level when he documented his transition from female to male on Youtube to be shared with the world. This wasn't an easy thing, but it's been worth the struggle. He's built a community and his channel has been able to support people in the trans community and people who are not. This episode tells the story of how and how he built this community.

 

Want to hear more stories of perspective-shifting youth activists? Check out PassTheMicYouth.com

 

Also, be sure to subscribe to Ryan's channel!

It can be hard to have critical and respectful conversations about hot-button issues right now. When people have wildly different views that are strongly held, finding common ground can be difficult. But that common ground is more needed than ever before. Cyrus Rad, a student working with the Institute for Emerging Issues talks with Luke about how to have constructive conversations about divisive topics.

 

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Mental health has long been a difficult topic of discussion. In recent years, it seems that young people are becoming more open to talking about there mental health. Young activist Emily Weinberg shares her story of planning a rally promoting mental health education and her journey of fighting associated stigma.  

 

To hear more stories about youth activism, check out passthemicyouth.com

Check out Emily's website Sophrosyne Mental Health

Should School Resource Officers be in schools? Hosts Nyawira, Luke, and Sam speak to students of the Youth Justice Project who are looking to answer this question. They have been working with their school system and local community to examine the role these officers play. They discuss the process of planning a town hall and how to navigate complex systems like schools.

 

To hear more stories of youth activism, check out PassTheMicYouth.com

Aliana was one of the young leaders of the protests in Puerto Rico last summer. Corruption in the government and a leaked private group chat led the citizens of Puerto Rico to demand the resignation of their president. More than 500,000 people protested for over two weeks. We talk with Aliana about her experience and the power of protests!

 

To hear more stories about youth activism, check out passthemicyouth.com